People to Watch 2010

When it comes to “going green,” most people are all talk and little action. Beth Galante is not only all action, but she also works to encourage and enable the public to act. After working as an assistant District Attorney in New Orleans an a Deputy Director for Tulane Environmental Law Clinic, she took on the position of Executive Director for Global Green in January 2006.

“My favorite thing about my work is that I get to contribute to New Orleans’ renaissance as a model of coastal resiliency for the rest of the world,” Galante says. “We’ve come so incredibly far in the past five years, and the next five years promise to be just as inspiring.”

Global Green specifically works to “green” New Orleans Schools through outreach and technical assistance on a state and local level. “New Orleans’ public school system is now on track to be a national green schools leader in the coming decade,” she says.

Galante wants to bring environmental awareness to the public in a way that is relatable, accessible and beneficial.

“I want Louisiana to finally take advantage of its abundant renewable natural resources and create 50,000 safe, clean and good paying jobs in solar, wind, biofuels and river turbine energy,” she says. “In the short term, I’m working to bring funders, manufacturers and government officials together to bring a major renewable energy manufacturing facility to our state in the next two years.”

She says that now is the time to act. “I believe that the oil disaster has made many more Louisianians than ever before realize that, if we want our state and children to have a prosperous future, we cannot continue to rely so heavily on one industry, especially one that is employing fewer and fewer workers. There has never been a better opportunity to support clean, safe energy production in our state, and Global Green is going to work hard to help Louisiana make some great strides in that direction.”